Rail spike



Aug. H 193% HAYES 2,050,432

RAIL SPIKE Filed Feb. 4, 1935 Inventor Attorney Patented Aug. 11, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.-

My invention relates to improvements in rail spikes.

An important object of the invention is to provide a rail spike whichmay be started into the shank and formed with anchor members thereonwhereby the anchor devices assist in deforming the shank during thedriving of the spike, to increase the holding power of the spike in thetie.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail spike having anormally straight shank with one face in a straight line. from the headto the point with an anchoring notch intermediate therein, of an opposedface having a bulge near the head and formed on a curve beginningslightly below the bulge and terminating at the point end of the spikeforming a cutting edge therewith and having a plurality of notchesformed in the curved surface to serve in anchoring the spike in the tie,as well as to weaken the shank structure to permit it to become deformedand to curve outwardly from the rail during the driving of the spike inthe tie.

A further object of the invention, in conjunction with the shank aboveset forth, resides in the formation of the spike head, whereby parallelribs are formed under the head to contact and engage the rail flange forsecurely holding the rail and, at the same time, elevating the head aproper distance so that a withdrawing tool may be applied to 'the headwhenever it becomes necessary to remove the spike.

A still further object of the invention is the production of a spike ofthe kind above described that is simple in construction, eflicient inoperation, and can be manufactured at a minimum cost.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certainnovel constructions, combinations, and arrangements or features as willhereinafter be fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts'throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the spike, and

Figure 2 is a cross section of a rail and a cross section through a tieplate and through a fragment of the tie, disclosing the manner ofstarting the spike into the tie and the position and formation taken bythe spike when driven into the tie.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 ll designates the rectilinearshank or body portion of the spike having a head II that projects fromall sides of the shank and having the usual extended projection on oneside thereof for engaging the rail base flange. In forming the shank lflone side of the shank I3 is formed in a straight line from the head H tothe point I2 with the exception of a notch 14 which is provided byrecessing the shank face l3 on a gradual curve and 15 terminating in anabrupt shoulder which forms a notch in which the shoulder will serve asan anchoring means when the spike is driven into the tie.

0n the opposite face I5 of the shank, the shank 20 is formed with abulge near the head as l5 and then the shank, from a point near thebulge to the end of the spike, is formedwith a gradual curve, the curvebecoming sharper as it nears the point I2. Intermediate and extendinginto 25 the shank are two or more notches I6, I 6, formed after themanner of the notch 14 on the opposite edge of the spike. The two edgesthus formed end in a point l2 which is provided with a cutting edge l2'formed by grinding a surface that 30 provides a sharp cutting edge andwhich surface being slightly flattened, will aid in drifting the pointof the spike to one side as it is driven into a tie.

The two side faces of the shank are parallel 35 with each other so thatthe point of the shank forms a chisel-like edge and cuts the fibers ofthe tie the full width of the spike. The spike, having one straight edgeas l3 and a curved edge I! terminating in the point I2, is thus properlypointed for proper driving.

The curved edgefl'l serving as a shoe in that operation will cause tigespike to start to drift and also will cause the frpt; face l3 to curveso that r when the driving is finished the spike will assume a curvedposition due t'o-Ithe weakening effects of the transversely disposednotches I4 and I6 and to the tendency of the curved face I! to projectthe point outward from the rail. In this deformed position thetransversely disposed notches I4 and 50 I6 all serve as anchoring meansto prevent withdrawal of the spike by any action of jzthe rail flange.The wide base assumed by the points of the opposed spikes engaging therail base flange will also serve as secure anchoring means 55independent of the notches and prevent the rail withdrawing the spikesunder action of traffic or due to any tendency that the rail may have totip on its vertical axis.

It is practice, in laying down railways, to use, beneath the rail base,a tie plate 20 which is usually provided with transverse ribs 2| on theunderside of the plate and it is intended that these ribs settle intothe fiber of the wood under the weight of traific. When they are firstplaced on the ties these plates ride on the ribs until the assembly ofthe rails, tie plates, and ties is made complete and these transverseribs 2| serve as anchors or means to prevent drifting of the tie plate.The tie plate 20 is also provided with a transverse rib 22 on the upperside and paralleling the rail base for the purpose of serving as anobstruction for the rail base to maintain the proper gauge for thetrack. The tie plate is also perforated to allow passage of the spikesthrough the plate and into the tie.

When the spike of the present invention is properly driven into the tie,the shank below the head of the spike, including the bulge I5, isclosely supported in the perforations in the tie plate against anypossibility of the head being offset or drawn away from contact with therail base or flange and these perforations also provide against anypossibility of the spike distorting the fibers of the tie at or near theupper face thereof or of enlarging the hole out by the spike as itpasses into the tie.

The head of the spike, as here shown, is formed with a flat driving faceso that a sufficient flat area is provided for contact by the mall orhammer to insure proper driving and on the under, overhanging face ofthe spike are formed ribs as I9, these ribs being angular or tapered tomatch the taper of the rail flange and permit the ribs to be set tightlyon the rail to provide two contact surfaces therewith.

In constructing a railway or in renewing ties it will be best to insertthe spikes in a substantially perpendicular manner and drive the spikeon the outer side of therail several inches into the tie. Then drive theinner spike completely into the tie and set it tightly against the railbase. As the spike enters the wood of the tie and by reason of theformation of the point there will be a gradual drifting of the tie shankoutwardly from the rail. The cutting edge being chisel-like and set atan angle provides for this constant drift and also causes a deformationdue to the weakening of the structure of the shank by the notches l4 andI6 and when completely driven, the spike will have assumed theapproximate position shown in Figure 2, to the right thereof.

In following the plan outlined, when the inner spike has been entirelydriven the bulge l5 will act upon the one side of the perforation in thetie plate 20 to hold the tie plate to the gauge to which the rail hasbeen set. The outside spike is then driven completely into the tie andthe bulge acting against the inside face of the perforation through thetie plate will cause the rib 22 on the upper side of the tie plate to beforced against the flange of the rail base so that in subsequent use ofthe rails, the rails are held against spreading by reason of theircontact against the rib 22 rather than by reason of the contact with thespikes themselves.

With the spikes thus set, any tendency of the rail to tip or move wouldnot act upon the spikes to withdraw them from the ties. By reason of thetie anchorage involving the deformed spike shank, the notches in saidshank, and the angle that various changes in the shape, size andarrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from thespirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:-

A rail spike adapted for engagement with a tie plate having aspike-receiving opening and a transverse rib alined with the inner edgeof the opening and said spike including a head and a shank, said headhaving ribs forming grooves on its under side and said ribs engaging therail, said shank being provided with a curved, notched front edge and astraight, notched rear edge, the front edge characterized by a bulgecontiguous with said head for engagement with the tie plate whereby saidbulge engages the tie plate to force the transverse rib into contactwith the rail flange to maintain the desired gauge.

FRANK S; HAYES.

